 |
|||
FeverHere we look
at fever and the treatment of fever in children, caused by viral
infections found in the temperate climate of Great Britain. (This advice
does not necessarily apply to tropical or sub-tropical infections). It is
impressive to realise that we constantly maintain a body temperature of
37 degrees Celsius, but even more impressive that we can produce the
great heat of a fever. Fever The body of
the newly born baby is completely built up from substances delivered
through the mother. From the moment of birth, with the first breath of
oxygen, the baby will start to break down and reorganise these motherly
substances. Through the breathing process and feeding, the baby starts
to rearrange and transform his or her little body to correspond to its
own individuality. During a fever, a dramatic transformation is taking
place in the body. The body needs the fever in order to leap hurdles in
this process of maturing. We could say that, on the one hand we come
into the world with inherited substances and forces, linking us with our
past; but on the other hand we go through a process of personal
development, drawing us into the future. Fever can be seen as an episode
where these two opposing streams rub against one another, hence the
heat!
We need to support the febrile process so that a new beneficial balance can come about. To support a fever, you need to be confident, but often when the child has a fever, parents are greatly concerned. A common misunderstanding is that fevers can get too high and as a result a child may die of a fever.
As for the
concern that the fever and body temperature might rise too high, you can
be reassured by knowing that a fever can not go beyond a certain plateau
phase. In previous centuries this fact was not understood, and when
people died from meningitis, for example, it was claimed they had died
of a fever. That is also why there are rhymes warning against fever and
ending in predictions of death! You cannot
die of a fever, but you may possibly die of an illness underlying the
fever, such as meningitis or malaria. Any serious underlying illness
like meningitis, malaria or pneumonia needs to be excluded, of course. A
test to exclude meningitis is to sit the child Sometimes
these meningitis bacteria run around in the bloodstream and do not cause
a pain in the neck or headache. In a typical case, this infection can
show up as small bruises. So you need to look for a rash as well — it
usually looks little bruises which do not fade when the spots are
pressed. Meningitis can develop in a matter of hours. Therefore, in general, in case of a fever and you are worried it is best to contact your doctor for advice. When the fever lasts longer than 2 days, go and see your doctor to have the child checked for other illnesses, like chest or urinary tract/ ‘waterworks’ infections. When in doubt, always ring the doctor!
(partial chapter; what
follows in the book References:
|
is largely a childhood condition. Children seem to have the ability to
produce fevers easily and can tolerate them better than adults. (High
fevers are less common in adults and are more often a symptom of a
serious illness.) Fevers should be viewed with reverence, particularly
when we consider that this heat originates from the Sun! As discussed in
the chapter on potentized remedies, plants bind the warmth of the Sun
into their substance. When humans absorb food, this warmth is released
into our bodies when it is broken down by oxygen, like the heat from a
burning log fire. The following is an attempt to restore a sense of
reverence for fever.
upright with his or her legs stretched out on the bed, and ask the child
to look at their belly button (or keep a toy there to try and make the
child look down without forcing). In meningitis this is likely to cause
distress because this stretches the meninges. These are the sheath of
the brain, enveloping the brain and spinal cord right down to the
tailbone. When this sheath of the brain is inflamed, (i.e. in
meningitis), this ‘neck-down’ position can cause a pain in the head
and/or neck. (Mind you, flu will cause a pain in the neck area when the
person looks down but this pain comes from the neck muscles rather than
from the meninges.) A headache, lethargy, and being irritated by light
can be indicators of meningitis. 
